Electroplating apparatus



F. R. KLAUS AND H.W. KRANZ.

ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED NOVI 6, I9I9. 1,429,438.,

dm SIN SS M4 I .m L Lm., D..

F. R. KLAUS AND H. W. KRANZ.

ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS APPLICATION FILED'NOV. 6. 19r9.

l/ 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- PatentedSept. 19, 1922 F. R. KLAUS AND H. W. KRANZ.ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV: 6. l9l9.

PatentedSept. 19, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- F. R. KLAUS AND H. w. K'RANZ.

ELECTHOPLATING APPARATUS.

APPLICAHON FILED NOV. 6, I9l9.

., ,w .W .elw/ fi WW m /AW Patented sept." 1 9, 1922- MTE SM-m I FREDnxL'Aus'AND HARRY KnANz, or gcnnvnmlvn, loHI-o', AssIGNonsTo THE`HYDRAULIC raEssED STEEL company, or CLEVELAND, omo, aconrommonEincrnornarme ArrAnATUs.

States, Y residingv Aat Cleveland,- in thecounty V of 'Cuyahogaand"State of Ohio, have in lvented acertain new 'and useful Improve.-`.ment inElectroplatingApparatus; of which the followingfis arfull,`clear, and ,exactdes This invention relates to an electroplatlngapparatus-fand has 'forA its'object to provide.

- V in a single `device-,'x'an veicient and easily operated apparatusfor cleansing, ,picklig',v' plating,' Washing'. anddryingsheet metal`tire' rims and-similar articles.

A- nother `object of the,invention is to pro-V Vvideg'an apparatus ofthis nature which shall -l be continuous, so that thev rims or her arti-'cles to'be treated, cambe placed inthe appaf vratus'at one end andVdelivered in theiriin- -ished condition' at theopposite, end, thereby'eliminating-'fall labor for the 'intermediate and consequentlymaterially"reducing'the .cost of'production. Y v

in the novel Vdetails'ofcgnstruction and in the manner of. combining;and arranging the same,.' allof .which will be 'more fully set forthhereinaftrandpointed out in the. ap-v .3? pended claims. Y i

In the accompanying drawingsfforming fa part' of-this-{speciicatiom Fig..1 Eis av diagrammaticfplan'of an electroplating -appalf ratus'embodying our invention.; Fi'g. 2. is 4,0' a side elevation'of the same,the' endless car l rier being ini'tted in order vto moreclearly Y. show;the contour o f'the'tracks Yupon?.which. 1 "said endless carriertravels; 3 is a detail view-'showing one end ofsaid endless .carrier andthe sprocket for actuating Vthe same; Fig. 4 is a detailseetionalelevavtion on'the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is transverse'sectional-view' on the line 5- ofFig. 2; Fig. 6 is a' transversesectional view on the line 6 6 ofA Fig.l 2; Fig. 7 is asimilaiviewontheline 7--7 of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional View takenonthe line 8 8 of Fig. 2 and showlng the electrodes arranged intheplating tank;

scription', vreference being hadto the accom-,- ilu-Olpanying dra i.sheet metalin this c'ollrse of fabrication betective coating is appliedthereto by the Well Fig. '9 iS im enlargedsectional view taken"thl-Uvgh'uthe plating. and showing in Beit kn'own'that we,-FRF.D R.KLAUS and -HARRY VVM.,KRANZ, citizens of the' United.

elevation'one 'ofthe carriers constituting a part' of' the "endlessconveyor and upon which therims or other articles are hung orlhangerbracket and carrier bar; Fig. 12 is la sectional view of thetrack with Awhich the carrierl contacts and which serves asa supvportforsaid carrier and also as a `conductor; Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view'illustrating thev circuit; Fig..14 is 'a detail view illustrating themeans -or causing the rims or: other'circular articles-to roll upon 70.the bracket hanger during 'transit through the'plating t'ankf.-

` Tire'carrying rims foruse in connection With-automobile'tires arelusually made of come-covered' with oil and dirt and as. a

rsti step toward liinishi'ng these rims it is Anecessary to remove thisoil and dirt and handling' of said rims or otherarticles; and.. alsoAei'e'cting a considerable saving in time '-1 this-isi.usuallyaccomplished by rst heat-v ing'-l or 'otherwlsetreating the said rims.After this cleaning operation has beeny aci others lwhich Awill becomeapparent as the 30 description' proceeds,gthe. invention conslstsbathfpreparatory lto being introduced into the electroplatlng bath ortank where a proknown electvroplating process, and, then after' thlselectroplating .operation has been completed, it is necessary-tothoroughlywash or cleanse/the rims,`and they are then finally dried.vHeretofore, so'far as we areaware 90 kthese 'various loperations havebeen performed in separate tanks or receptacles and it wasgnecessary toemploy a considerable number 'of Workmen and various apparatus 1 toplace the rims into vthe various tanks or.96 receptacles, remove thesame-and shift them from one receptacle to another in order tocompletethe various operations which were `required' to completelyvfinish the said rims.

These various operations as heretofore performed not only require aconsiderable number of workmen but also' a considerable amount of timefor the proper handling of a quantity of rims,l and it is with theobject of effecting a material saving in time 105 and labor that we havedevised thepresent form of apparatus sothat by means of a single device,all of the hereinbefore recited operations can be had upon a quantitycf` rims, with only one operator being necessary 11@ to place the rimsupon'the hangersat one endgof the device and another operator to4 removethem at the other end ofy the device, .the rims being automatically,carried through the furnace or cleanser, the pickler,

the plating tank and the washing and 'drying tanks, and in practice wemake the apparatus of s'uch dimensions that a considerable number ofrims can be passed therethrough at one time at the proper speed tothoroughly and properly electroplate all of the rims passing through thedevice. ln other words, the apparatusas a unit is a continuous automaticoperating device re` quiring the attention of two operators only,namely, one to place the rims thereon and the other to -remove themtherefrom.

1n. the practical 'embodiment of our inl .vention, we employ anysuitable type of furnace or heater or other cleanser l0 and at the endthereof and in line therewith we arrange a plckling vat 11,`and in linewith this vat we place a rinsing vat 12 and this i'sfollowed by a1plating vat or receptacle 13, which in turn is` followed by a' cold4wate vatj 14, and akhoi't water vat 15 completesl the series of vats orreceptacles It will be noted that all Vof these vats or 'receptacles areo(f substantially the same. "width and the lengths thereof will bedeterminedby the period of time which the ,vering a rims'or otherarticles should remain therel 'in fduring. their .passage therethrough(vAbout and over this train of vats we pro-v formed lupon said lrims orother articles.

y The upper rails 17 and the lower rails 18 vare preferably constructedof channel iron wlth their channeled faces opposed, and it will be notedthat the upper trackl? is horizontal and level .from endl to end,whereas the lower track is serpentine in form, the level portions18abeing directly over the major portion ofthe various tanksor'receptacles,

' while the curved portions thereof-'are arlranged directly over theends orl meeting pointsof the several vats or receptacles, the purposeof this contour being to cause the rims to travel through the receptaclefrom one end-to the other and be elevated out of one receptacle andllowered into the next adjacent one.

the tracks 17 and 18 consists of two end- The endless conveyor whichtravels upon less chains composed lof a series ofv links 120, pivotallyconnected together, and` at each alternate connection there are arrangedguide rollers .2l which travel in the incense grooved or channeled guiderails 17 and 18 before described, and these rollers 21are carried at theopposite ends of the rods 22 which serve the double purpose ofconnecting the links and carrying the "guide roll.-

ers. The endless conveyor consisting of the endless chains, cposs rodsand guide rollers, travels around sprockets 23 and 24 arl ranged at theopposite ends of the frame, gthe sprocket.24 being a power sprocketreceiving its power from any suitable source, such as an electric motor25, and any suitable train of gears and clutch mechanism 26 may beinterposed between the motor and the power sprocket in order to feed theendless conveyor at vthe proper rate of speed'.

r1he sprocket arms are provided with suitable sockets 27 at their outerends for receiving or engaging the guide rollers and causing the endlessconveyor to travel properly around the said sprockets and the ends ofthe guide rails are preferably flared as shown at 28 in order to permitthe easy movement of the guiderollers into and out of the same. Eachcross' rod 22 has brackets 29 connected thereto which-support anangle-iron cross-bar 30, ad at the oppositev fend of each cross bar 30there is suspended a hanger 31 comprising a central yoke 95v which isattached to the rend of the cross bar, and the oppositely extending arms31L uponwhich the rims 32 are hung.

Along each edge of he plating-tank,and-1-v also along the central andintermediate por- 100.

tions of said tank there are arranged conductor rails 33 from which aresuspended the positive electrodes or anode's 34, these electrodes beingheld in place by suitable horizontal strips of Wood or similar ma'- 105terial 35 connected to vertical strips of wood or` similar material 36attached to the in Aner sides of the vat and also at the center andintermediate portions of said vat. EX-

tending above the plating vat from end to v end thereof, are theconductor rails 37 supported by suitable' insulating shoes 38 uponstrinfrers 39 arranged longitudinally with the tank above theintermediate conductor vrail s33 and supporting said conductor rails115V I and traveling upon and contacting' with these conductor rails37are shoes 40, which are connected tothe yokes of the hangers, 3'1. Thehangers 31 are thoroughly insulated from they angle cross bar 30 bymeans '12.0

ofsuitable insulation 41.

As previously stated the positive electrode 34 is connected to theconductor rail 33 and will consist of a bar of zinc Vwhen the rims arezinc plated, the usual solution of lzinc sulphatel being theelectrolyte, and the rims will constitute `the'negative element and thecurrent passing through the conductor rail 33 -will pass to the positiveelectrode and from it through the electrolyte to therim or negativeelectrode, and

' up the hanger to the shoe," and along the conductor rail 37 toany.suitable terminal connection, and it is ,obvious that 'so long as therim. resting upon the arm is within the electrolytic solution theplating operation will Abe carried on.I

We have shown the electroplating tank 'divided longitudinally into fourcompartments, but `it is obvious it can be Vdivided into any desirednumber -of compartments, When the tank is divided into fourcompartmentsgone cross bar 30 will be s uHicient to carry two hangersand each hanger is'V capable of receiving one or more rims upon each armthereof and as each cross bar 50 1s hung from each connecting rod 22, itwill lbe clearly understood that as. thepower sprocket is driven,theendless conveyor will travel inthe direction indicated inFigs. 2 and3, and as the endless conveyor travels around the hangers are ,caused totravel the vor otherwise treated in order to melt, loose'n same path,and pass around the l'sprockets 23 at the opposite end of the apparatus.

' When the hangers' 31 have moved around the sprocket 23. at the forwardend of the machine, the rims 32 are hung upon'the arms 31a andJ arefirst lowered into the furnace orother cleanerlO by the 4 guide rol-v1ers 21 traveling down -the incline 1 8b ofthe track l18. The rimstravel through thefurnace or other cleaner where they are heatedpickling vat to-the .rear end thereof where they are once more elevatedout of the p'ickling vat' and lowered intothe rinsingfvat, due to thecontour oftlie guide rails 18,

and` from the` rinsin vat the rims are intro- 1 the vat said obstructionbeing placed beduced into the platlng vat and each set ,of

-rims will travel inits respective longitudinal compartment, vandinasmuch as there are a series of positive electrodes extended along lthe entire length of the plating .vatitis obl take place during 'thepassage of the rim vious that continuous electrolytic action willthrough the plating vat.

In order to `cause therims togturn or roll around on thesupportingjarms-Bl, we in?a terposean obstruction 42 in' the bottom of4. In a' device of the kind descibed, combination fwith a plurality ofreceptacles ly and then drop back uponthe arms as -they clear theobstruction and in so doing-they.-

will roll or turnaround on the arms so that by employing a series ofthese obstructions the rims wi l be rolledl or turned several timesduring their passage through'the plating tank, and vinthis mannerauniform or tained.

When. the rims reach the end of the plating tank or vat theyare elevatedout of said tank or vat and lowered into the'cold water rinsing vat andthen elevated fromthat and deposited into the hot -water rinsing vatfrom which'they emer e hot and consequent- -ly Will dryiinavery s ortspace of time, so

even distribution of plating is sure to be obl that by the time theyreach thedelive'ry end of the machine after having-been liftedxfrom thelast vat theywill be dry when lifted ol' the hanger arms byl theoperator. 1

"It will thus be seen that we provide an exceedingly simple and. highlyefficient apparatus which as a unitV will continuously and automaticallymove a plurality of rims or other articles from one end ofthe machine to`the'other, and. during .such movements, subject them to all of thevarious operations necessary to successfully electro-- plate such rim orarticles thereby eecting -a materialsaving 4in both time and laborHaving thus described vour -invention,

what wel claim is 1. In an electroplati-ng apparatus, a leaner, -picklinwashing and electr plating tanks and continuous conveyor for carryingarticles through Athe cleaner and into and out ofthe said tanks.

` v2. In an electroplating apparatus, a cleaning' furnace, pickling,vwashing and electro-plating tanks and a continuous conveyor forcarrying varticles through'the fursuspending a row of rims adjacent therowof anodes'and guard rails between the,row 0f anodes andthe row ofrims.. A

the

adapted for successive treatment of articles thereon, of a trackextending above said receptacles, said track being elevated at pointsabove the adjacentends of said receptacles,

tween two u right strips 42? connected to la return track, an endlessconveyor movable the side of t evatand serving vas verticalv guides forthe obstruction; and conne'c d to each obstruction is a chain or wiregby means of whichl it can be raised or lowered as desired to'`accommodate rims of dierent sizes. vBy means of this o`betructionthe4rims, in passin tlbifroughthe tank, will contactwith'thef o ons and beelevated slightcarried said pivoted work holders and contact railsengaging said shoes and supporting said work holders.

6. In .a device of the kind described, the combination with a pluralityof receptacles, one of which is an electroplating receptacle, of a trackextending overA said receptacle, a return track, an endless conveyorincluding a carrier adapted to hold the article-to be plated, and meanscarried by said carrier and cooperating with means connected with theelectr-oplating receptacle for maintaining the article in electricalcontact during the passage through said receptacle.

7.'In a device of he kind'des'cribed, the combination with a'pluralityof receptacles arranged end to end, of a track `above saidreceptacles,zsaid Y track being arched upwardly over the adjacent ends of said re-,.ceptacles, a return track, and an endless con- )veyorgicluding acarrier adapted to travel "'upon said tracks as set forth.

f 8.In a device of the kind described, the combinationI with apluralityofv receptacles arranged end tol end, of a track above saidreceptacles, said track being arched upwardly at dijfferent points, areturn track,

' member and a shoe attached to thel and adapted :to contact with saidsecon sconv .member with whic endless conveyor,

an endle' 'conveyorC upon said tracks, a` carrier connected to saldconveyor, and 1nsulated therefrom, saldcarrier being adapted to receivearticles to be plated, a.con ,ductor rail and a shoe connected to saidcarrier and adapted to-contact with said rail an anodeand a conductormember to which to said cross bars and having arms to receive articlesto be treated, and a plurality of receptacles arranged beneath3 thelowertrack, said lower track being'a'r'ched over the adjacent ends of saidreceptacles.

11. In 'adevice 'of the kind described, the

combinationl with a receptacle; of anodes ari rangedstherein, aconductor member to which saidanodes are attached,a carri'r adapted toreceive an article to be plated, a` shoel attached to said. carrier, asecond cianductorv vwhich the carrier is porting the weight of the`holders.

said shoe contacts, an

connected and tracks and sprockets over which said conveyor moves.`

l2. In a device ofthe kind Idescribed, the combination with areceptacle, of electroplating means arranged in connection With saidreceptacle, a carrier movable with reference to said receptacle, andadapted to carry an article through said receptacle, an obstructionarranged in the receptacle and in the v `path of said article andadapted to contact with said article to elevate androll the same uponthe carrier as set forth.

13. In avdevice of the kind described, the

combination `with a receptacle, of electro-- plating means arranged inconnection with said receptacle, a carrier movable. withl reference tosaid receptacle, and adapted to carry an articlejthro'ugh saidreceptacle, an adjustable obstruction arranged lin the receptacle and inthe path of said article 'and adapted to contact with said article toelevate and roll the same upon the carrier as set forth.

14. In anl electroplating apparatus, an.

endless carrier, an electroplating tank, work holders attached to saidendless carrler, and

means above the tank for making an eleci,

trical contact with the holders and for sup` 15. In an electroplatingapparatus, ythe combinationwith la plurality of tanks of a trackarrange-d above said tanks, a conductor element, an endless carrierassociated with said track, work vholders connected to said conveyor andcontacting with said conductor, said work holders being adapted to lbemovedv into intimate electrical contact with said conductor by theweight of the articles to be electroplated which are carried therebyfL16. In an electroplating apparatus, an

electroplating tank, a non-conducting beamjy extending longitudinallyover the tank, a

conductor rail carried on the underside of the beam, anodes suspendedfrom said conductor rail, a conductor rail supported on thetop of thebeamA and work holders coni tacting with said upper conductor rail.- fr17.n In 'an electroplating apparatus, a plurality o f tanks, a trackarranged above said tanks, a'ggxconductor rail, an endless carrieradaptedto travel upon said track, a plurality of'work holderspivotallyconnected to 'said carrier and adapted to-contact intermediatethe ends thereof with said rail, said,

-holders being obliquel-y disposed with re- .spect to said rail when inengagement there with whereby the work which is carried thereby rcauses'an intimate engagement-of lthe Awork holder with said rail. c

In testinfony whereof, we hereunto-f-aix our signatures; v l FREDRJKILAUS.;

. HARRY WM. KRANZ. 5

